Work on Zojila Pass tunnel in J&K to begin soon

[anant_s]

NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday set in motion the construction of the much delayed Zojila Pass tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir to provide all-weather connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region. After several extensions and rebidding of the project, the highways ministry is all set to award the work to an infrastructure major to ensure an early start to building of the 14.1 km tunnel through tough terrain.

IRB Infrastructure will take up the work for building this tunnel. "We opened the bids and found very good offer that was beyond our expectation. The project will bring huge relief to people living in Leh-Ladakh region, which remains cut off for months during winter. It will also push tourist flow in the region and bring economic prosperity," the outgoing road transport and highways secretary Vijay Chhibber told TOI on Thursday.
Ministry officials said that IRB has quoted Rs 981 crore as semi-annual annuity (installments) for this project and the total contract period is 22 years. "The project will be completed in seven years. Such works take more time because of the tough terrain and less days when outdoor work can be undertaken due to extreme weather. The annuity payment from government will start only after the work gets completed," one of the officials said.

He added it is not feasible to keep the road clear during winter due to heavy snowfall, and to make matters worse the area is prone to severe avalanches.

Building the Zojila Pass situated at an altitude of 11,578-ft on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh NH will cost about Rs 9,000 crore. The project involves construction of a two-lane and bi-directional tunnel with an escape route.

Construction of 6.5 km long Z-Morh tunnel connecting Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district has already started in this region. The project involving construction of a two-lane tunnel awarded in 2013 is likely to be completed by 2018. The tunnel, located 2,637 metres above sea level, will ensure the passage of 1,000 vehicles an hour at an approved maximum speed of 80 km per hour.
Work on Zojila Pass tunnel in J&K to begin soon - Times of India

IRB Infrastructure bags Zojila tunnel project in a Rs 10,050-crore deal
Mumbai-based firm IRB Infrastructure has bagged Rs 10,050 crore project — considered the largest National Highway project awarded in India — to construct and maintain a 14.8-km tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir.

The Zojila tunnel project includes approaches on NH-1 in the state of Jammu and Kashmir on design, build, operate and transfer basis. The Leh-to-Srinagar tunnel will be built over a period of seven years, the company has said in a statement.



The Zojila tunnel — the longest in South East Asia — will have great socio-economic importance for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. IRB Infrastructure won the contract in a competitive bidding which includes a 22-year concession period, the company said in a regulatory filing with the BSE.

"We have received the letter of award for the project and hope to finish the preparatory work soon so the construction can start by October 2016. The project will take seven years to complete, as we will have only six months a year to work," Virendra Mhaiskar, CEO of IRB Infrastructure, said in a statement to the Economic Times.

The Zojila National Highway is located between Srinagar and Leh, and remains shut six months in a year due to heavy snowfall. According to reports, the tunnel will be built at an altitude of 3,528 metres.

Given the strategic nature of the tunnel for Jammu & Kashmir's transport, the government is keen that work on the tunnel begins soon, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari was quoted as saying by the Economic Times.

"The Zojila project will enhance the connectivity of the area, which will go a long way to boost tourism and activities of the region," Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh was quoted as saying by PTI.
IRB Infrastructure bags Zojila tunnel project in a Rs 10,050-crore deal

 

[anant_s]

Why is this link critical?

A nightmare called Zojila Pass

Haider Ali Askary
Barring the beauty of the Kashmir valley, in the western section of the Himalayan mountain ranges at the northern most part of India lays the moonland region called “Ladakh”. Located at an elevation of more than 8,500 ft. (2676 meters) above the sea level, the region is seemingly familiar for its barren scenery and harsh winter climatic condition. The Zojila pass is the lifeline for the people of this region. Zojila pass is situated at an altitude of 11,649 ft. (3528 meters) on the Indian National Highway 1A connecting Srinagar-Kargil-Leh. It is the only feasible motorable road which connects the region to the rest of the world through Srinagar. This road, however, remains closed for better half of every year due to heavy snowfall and avalanches. In fact, it is notorious for its late opening in spring and early closure in winter.
Due to the closure of this road Ladakh remains cut-off from Kashmir and rest of the world for around 5-6 months every year. During these months, people of the region are left with no other option but to live in the “freezing open prison” in life-threatening condition. Owing to the ill-equipped district hospitals in the twin districts of Ladakh, Kargil and Leh, running with lack of high-tech facilities, the ‘critical’ patients are left at the mercy of God during winter. Countless number of patients succumbed to death who could not reach at a proper health care centre outside of the districts on time. Numerous people lost their lives while braving to cross the mighty pass on foot. The frightening pass also has drawn-off innumerable vehicles carrying passengers and goods. Apart from difficulties where human lives are directly at stake, the isolation –due to the unavailability of proper communication facility to Ladakh– result in great loss in terms of, foremost, education and health among other spheres of life.
Recently, students in Kargil and Leh who were to appear for the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB), Examination at Kashmir and Jammu, centers got stuck there due to the sudden snowfall and blockade of the Zojila pass. The students then requested and held protests asking the Government to postpone the examination until the road opens (if only the Border Roads Organization (BRO) could open again). To this, the authorities initially showed reluctance, however, after two days long protest by the candidates the exam was finally postponed.
Also, the non-local Government employees like teachers and others posted in Ladakh go back early in winter and join late in summer since the Zojila pass gets inaccessible in between. As a result the Ladakhi students at Government schools and people in general suffer. Moreover, the civilian air service is available only from Leh airport which hardly functions on a regular basis in winter reasoning bad weather condition. Needless to say that the fare gets sky rocketed during “peak” seasons of the year. Kargil, to this date does not have a functional civil airport. Although, due to the strategic and cross border importance of Ladakh, the Indian army sympathetically provides a feasible air service in winter, nonetheless, to the distressed population of Kargil who remain in their utter need.
Looking at the plight of the people who spend much of their time in adverse condition the proposal for construction of a tunnel at Zojila pass had been put forward by the Ladakhi populace for time to time. This all-weather road connectivity for feasible system of communication is a long sought pressing demand, or so to say “historical demand” from the people of both Kargil and Leh. This demand from the Ladakh region every time failed to get an optimistic response from both the State and Centre Government in the past so many decades. Many political parties and politicians gained votes and remained in power using “Zojila tunnel” in their electoral campaigns which worked out well in their favour –and still does.
In a deep escalated reaction to this, a group of young people from the region, couple of years ago, took up a fair responsibility on their shoulders to bring up the issue into the limelight by using the social media, social gathering, online campaign and the like in order to expand the pool of its consideration. These groups mainly function through the social networking site facebook, with pages like “Zojila Watch” and “Zojila Tunnel Campaign”, with more than 1000 members, mainly from Ladakh and also a number of non-Ladakhis. Their aim being to disseminate at a wider level the importance and urgency for a tunnel at Zojila pass. The protagonist of the group, Javed Naqi, a native of Kargil and Assitant Professor with J&K Higher Education Department, writes “The construction of tunnel at Zojila or all weather road will result in a dramatic shift in socio-economic development of the region. The dream tunnel will save crores of state money, now being spent for air maintenance and winter stocking of the region both by army and civil administration…We’ll continue our fight to connect Ladakh on different forums unless and until we see the dream tunnel in place.”
In reaction to such developments, the UPA-II Government at the Centre announced construction of the Zojila tunnel in October 2012. The first phase construction of the tunnel, it was told, was to begin soon and would be completed in three phases. The first phase never saw its beginning and the UPA Government had a terrible electoral loss in General Election 2014.
However, the NDA Government which came to power in an overwhelming majority has now enthused new hope. “The Government will soon start work on the Rs 10,000 Crore Zojila pass tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir to provide all-weather connectivity to people in Ladakh region” Union Minister Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, said recently. The people of Ladakh region have kept their hopes intact.
There is a need to recognize and understand the prominence of the tunnel, looking at various economic benefits and social importance which are attached to it. The construction of a tunnel will undeniably provide round-the-year connectivity to the isolated region. Needless to say that it would save lot of cash and time of many a needy. Keeping in mind the geographic location of the region and the strategic and cross border importance of Ladakh, the Government could save ample expenses spent on defense there through constructing a tunnel.
The inhabitants of the barren island continue to see the end of isolation while fighting for basic survival every winter. This injustice and violation of Right to Life depriving Kargil (Ladakh) of all-weather connectivity must end sooner than later.
(The author is a Research Student at University of Delhi)

A nightmare called Zojila Pass

Srinagar-Leh highway

Srinagar-Leh road link open for vehicular traffic after five months closure. Vehicles drive

Indian Army trucks carrying supplies for soldiers pass through the Zojila Pass. The highway passes through the 3510 meter-high Zojila Pass which lies on the lower depressions of the Himalayan range.

The 443 km (275 miles) long highway was opened by Indian army authorities for traffic on Wednesday after remaining snowbound at Zojila Pass, 3,530 metres (11,581 feet) above sea level, for the past six months.

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Great news.. This would help J&K in a big way..its a very strategic connection and in winter its closed.. Supply is an issue with present situation.. with the tunnel smooth transport all round the year can be envisioned opening the connection of srinagar with rest of our country

 

[SR-91]

Great news.. This would help J&K in a big way..its a very strategic connection and in winter its closed.. Supply is an issue with present situation.. with the tunnel smooth transport all round the year can be envisioned opening the connection of srinagar with rest of our country

What we truly need is a high energy laser tunnel boring machines. These bad boys can bore upto 7 MILES PER DAY. usually powered by compact nuclear reactor. As the high energy hits the rocks, it melts the rocks away to a smooth glassy finish.

India has to start research and development on this awesome machine. Forget about years, this will bring down time to days.

 

[MAhsan]

There are many beautiful places their, like Ladakh, Sonmarg, Pehalgam etc. Can a Pakistani visit these places on a visit visa, if granted one. Just asking.

 

[Parul]

There are many beautiful places their, like Ladakh, Sonmarg, Pehalgam etc. Can a Pakistani visit these places on a visit visa, if granted one. Just asking.

Pakistani can't visit & neither can Indian's visit Pakistan Kashmir.

 

[MAhsan]

How unfortunate it is. These are most beautiful and wild places. Can a dual national visit?

 

[Parul]

If one can hide his/her Pakistani background; then you might be lucky.

I'm a Sikh by religion & Russian by Birth. I too wasn't allowed to visit Kashmir or G&B last year during my visit to Pakistan Punjab.

How unfortunate it is. These are most beautiful and wild places. Can a dual national visit?

True, J & K is rightly called heaven on the Earth. I'm luck to explore Indian side of Kashmir including Leh & Ladakh couple of times.

 

[MAhsan]

I can say that you are blessed by God, who has granted you an opportunity to visit Kashmir and Ladakh. I have seen pictures, and there is no match. Believe me, we only have a small portion i-e.Neelum Valley of that beauty.

By the way GB is a gem too, but it has some different kind of beauty.

 

[anant_s]

What we truly need is a high energy laser tunnel boring machines. These bad boys can bore upto 7 MILES PER DAY. usually powered by compact nuclear reactor. As the high energy hits the rocks, it melts the rocks away to a smooth glassy finish.

India has to start research and development on this awesome machine. Forget about years, this will bring down time to days.

I guess they are using conventional carbide bit rotary cutting machines with water injection in these areas.
From what i know from reports of similar work done by Konkan Railways in drilling tunnels for Kashmir railways, the geography is such that, one cannot go faster than a certain rate, before stabilizing the tunnel walls.

this process involves, cutting of rock and then spraying with concrete called guiniting. This stabilizes any loose rock and prevents inward collapse of tunnel along with water tightening of hole structure.

In seismically unstable regions like himalayas, the method is slow, but you would appreciate that, structural and worker safety are over-riding criterion and hence slow progress of work. However to speed up work, they'll dig from both ends and keep alignment intact with GPS.

Tunnel Boring Machine layout

Cutter Head

Cutter Tool (Rotary)

 

[Pulsar]

NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday set in motion the construction of the much delayed Zojila Pass tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir to provide all-weather connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region. After several extensions and rebidding of the project, the highways ministry is all set to award the work to an infrastructure major to ensure an early start to building of the 14.1 km tunnel through tough terrain.

IRB Infrastructure will take up the work for building this tunnel. "We opened the bids and found very good offer that was beyond our expectation. The project will bring huge relief to people living in Leh-Ladakh region, which remains cut off for months during winter. It will also push tourist flow in the region and bring economic prosperity," the outgoing road transport and highways secretary Vijay Chhibber told TOI on Thursday.
Ministry officials said that IRB has quoted Rs 981 crore as semi-annual annuity (installments) for this project and the total contract period is 22 years. "The project will be completed in seven years. Such works take more time because of the tough terrain and less days when outdoor work can be undertaken due to extreme weather. The annuity payment from government will start only after the work gets completed," one of the officials said.
View attachment 284796

He added it is not feasible to keep the road clear during winter due to heavy snowfall, and to make matters worse the area is prone to severe avalanches.

Building the Zojila Pass situated at an altitude of 11,578-ft on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh NH will cost about Rs 9,000 crore. The project involves construction of a two-lane and bi-directional tunnel with an escape route.

Construction of 6.5 km long Z-Morh tunnel connecting Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district has already started in this region. The project involving construction of a two-lane tunnel awarded in 2013 is likely to be completed by 2018. The tunnel, located 2,637 metres above sea level, will ensure the passage of 1,000 vehicles an hour at an approved maximum speed of 80 km per hour.
Work on Zojila Pass tunnel in J&K to begin soon - Times of India

IRB Infrastructure bags Zojila tunnel project in a Rs 10,050-crore deal
Mumbai-based firm IRB Infrastructure has bagged Rs 10,050 crore project — considered the largest National Highway project awarded in India — to construct and maintain a 14.8-km tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir.

The Zojila tunnel project includes approaches on NH-1 in the state of Jammu and Kashmir on design, build, operate and transfer basis. The Leh-to-Srinagar tunnel will be built over a period of seven years, the company has said in a statement.



The Zojila tunnel — the longest in South East Asia — will have great socio-economic importance for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. IRB Infrastructure won the contract in a competitive bidding which includes a 22-year concession period, the company said in a regulatory filing with the BSE.

"We have received the letter of award for the project and hope to finish the preparatory work soon so the construction can start by October 2016. The project will take seven years to complete, as we will have only six months a year to work," Virendra Mhaiskar, CEO of IRB Infrastructure, said in a statement to the Economic Times.

The Zojila National Highway is located between Srinagar and Leh, and remains shut six months in a year due to heavy snowfall. According to reports, the tunnel will be built at an altitude of 3,528 metres.

Given the strategic nature of the tunnel for Jammu & Kashmir's transport, the government is keen that work on the tunnel begins soon, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari was quoted as saying by the Economic Times.

"The Zojila project will enhance the connectivity of the area, which will go a long way to boost tourism and activities of the region," Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh was quoted as saying by PTI.
IRB Infrastructure bags Zojila tunnel project in a Rs 10,050-crore deal

It's a pity we've woken up so late thanks to Congress' non governance for the past 60 years.

 

[anant_s]

It's a pity we've woken up so late thanks to Congress' non governance for the past 60 years.

Its been the same story for most infra-structure projects unfortunately. UPA 2 didn't take any decision on critical infra projects and that led to all this mess we find us. This road was a long standing demand of Armed forces right after Kargil in 1999. Now if this road gets completed in 2019, it will be 2 decades after the event and that itself is a sorry statement on way things move in our country.
Hopefully, this government will undo several mistakes of past.
@Abingdonboy @PARIKRAMA @SpArK

Pakistani can't visit & neither can Indian's visit Pakistan Kashmir.

Isn't that tragic

 

[egodoc222]

It's a pity we've woken up so late thanks to Congress' non governance for the past 60 years.

Yeah it is!!! Connecting every part of the country's territory is a bare minimum!!
As we always say....better late than never!!

 

[Pulsar]

I guess they are using conventional carbide bit rotary cutting machines with water injection in these areas.
From what i know from reports of similar work done by Konkan Railways in drilling tunnels for Kashmir railways, the geography is such that, one cannot go faster than a certain rate, before stabilizing the tunnel walls.
View attachment 284843
this process involves, cutting of rock and then spraying with concrete called guiniting. This stabilizes any loose rock and prevents inward collapse of tunnel along with water tightening of hole structure.
View attachment 284844
In seismically unstable regions like himalayas, the method is slow, but you would appreciate that, structural and worker safety are over-riding criterion and hence slow progress of work. However to speed up work, they'll dig from both ends and keep alignment intact with GPS.

This is how it works....

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Well i have to be blunt.. We are fools that we did not authorize humongous packages for development for J&K and also resettlement of people who moved out of the state due to terror.. When we finally see CPEC we realize how we have fooled ourselves and lost a excellent chance of being a first mover and first mover advantage of developing jammu & kashmir. Our GOI previously just slept as they thought investments in a disputed land is strategically adead investment.. Foolish thots results into fiasco.. If we do something same now also we will be in deep holes dug by ourselves only..

the view is similar for Arunachal Pradesh too..

If you want prosperity and public wide support you have to do big investments and show locals that why its essential to be happy with India... and deter other parties from spoiling this relationship.